Merry Christmas!

12/19/11

Can you believe it is Christmas time!? I am so excited for this holiday. It is kinda tough jumping into all of this right in the midst of the holidays, but I always love a struggle. We had an awesome day at church yesterday where the Relief Society gave each of us a bag of gifts, but only after we sang a Christmas song accapella for them. Thankfully there were 6 elders. yes, 6 elders in our ward. It is completely opposite from the 1 set covering two wards in Roanoke. One of the areas they just opened this transfer. We are looking forward to a lot of growth in the ward in the coming months. The teaching pool is different. We found 3 new investigators this week, which was sweet and much needed. I would like to tell you about one of the amazing families we found.
 
On Friday we had a day set up for tracting. We chose a neighborhood set on hill to go knock doors in. When we got there, we immediately knew we had to be somewhere else. We flipped the car around and lo and behold there was a string of about 15 houses you could only view from the neighborhood we were in. We knocked each of those doors. There right next to each other, but you had to go up and down about 40 stairs for each individual house. As we approached this one house, a 17 year old kid came out and asked what we were doing. We explained and went and got his mom. Sally came out and invited us in. She explained that her husband had been put in jail for domestic violence and she got her son out of juvi this morning. She bore her testimony to us that she knew God had sent us there. The Spirit was very strong as they talked about their needs and beliefs. The Holy Ghost really guided the conversation. Even her 17 year old son, with a pant leg rolled up as his jail penned swastika tattoo She has a good good heart, as all the people of West Virginia do. We are excited about them.
 
 My comp is Elder Wiederholt from Beaverton, Oregon. He has been out about 15 months and we get along well. Charleston is a whole new world. We live four houses from the Capitol building with has this massive gold dome. It literally fills up our whole study window. It is a beautiful view. We are right across the river from University of Charleston in Downtown. Seriously look up our apartment on Google earth. Zone leader has its challenges and new responsibilities too. We have 15 areas within our zone - the biggest in the mission. I am still trying to figure it all out. This much I must say, I love teaching and tracting much more than managing.
 
I am so grateful for this holiday to remind us of all we have. We have so much to give and so much knowledge to receive. I would invite you to open your hearts during this time of year and let this be a week of spiritual gifts. I love you very much and can't wait to talk at 3:45 my time.
 
Love,
Elder Dumke
1622 Virginia St Apt B
Charleston WV 25311

Christmas in Dub V

Christine, who was baptized two days after I left Roanoke.
12/13/11
Merry Merry Everybody!
 
I cannot believe it is Christmas time already! Believe it or not it is 60 degrees today, it just doesn't feel like Christmas when you are raking leaves in a short sleeve T - shirt. Is what it is.
 
Things are going really well here. Last week has literally been, my last week... in VA. Monday night I got a call about 5:30 pm from the assistants saying they wanted me in Charleston tomorrow, meaning I would have to go to Blacksburg that night. So I ran and got my suits which I ironically dropped both of them off at the dry cleaners ( I even said as I dropped them off the first time, "hopefully we don't have any surprise meeting this week") Well I got them and left for Blacksburg an hour and half later. Spent the night with the Virginia Tech elders (Elder Brady, my trainer) and then went to Charleston for Zone Leader Council. Partway through the meeting President Pitt said, "Sister Pitt has asked if we should tell you elders who are not Zone leaders (there were 3 of us) why you are here. I will tell you the same thing Elder Scott told me, 'if you didn't know why your here, you probably aren't qualified enough to be here." Long story short turns out I am going to be a Zone leader in Charleston! I cannot wait. It is exactly where I wanted to go. I can't wait to be serving in the HQ of the mission. We will be living with the assistants too.
 
This sunday was a bitter sweet experience. We had 5 investigators at church and it was perfect service for them all. The really cool thing though was that 3 of the families we reactivated over the past 6 months brought non member friends or family to church. Their testimony is really growing and they beginning to share it!
 
Yesterday we helped Danny Robinson, remodel his kitchen some more. We weren't super helpful, considering our lack of construction knowledge, but it was a good fellowshipping and learning opportunity. He shared some more of his stories from over in Iraq. He doesn't understand the gospel completely, but he knows that is what is going to help raise his kids up right. We also helped Christine with a few things cleaning up the house. She has MS and is in motorized wheelchair and can't get a whole lot done. Her son Josh is a member and we have been teaching her for the last 6 weeks. She is getting baptized this Friday! She had a brutal upbringing but made some really incredible changes . I am sad I won't be there for her baptism.
 
One of the people that came to church was our good friend Wayne Hewett. He hadn't come the last 4 weeks and had really lost momentum towards baptism and wanting to meet. We went over last week to talk about it with him and explained that we are guides leading him to Christ, we can't walk carry him there, only lead him. And we can't lead if no one is following. And asked if he was still willing and interested in making changes in his life. He said yes. Apparently the visual worked for him, because the moment he sat down next to me in church, "Ya gotta have someone to folla." He has more metaphors and catchy phrases then anyone I know and teaching him in his own language, I guess is what works.

Here are Wayne and Sarah:
 
Last night we had Empty Nesters again. It was a ton of fun listening to live Christmas music from a Banjo, a guitar, two lap harps and two bass. The room was packed and we had quite a few non members come. They found out I was leaving and the night ended singing God be with you till we meet again. It was a very nice send off. I have really grown to love the people here. As I am sure I will in Charleston. I sure love yall and hope you have a very Merry Christmas!\
 
Much Love
Elder Dumke

Faith vs. Expectations

What is happening family - 12/5/11
 
I sure love hearin from yall and I cannot wait, cannot even wait, to chat on Christmas. This week was so great. I have done a lot of pondering on faith. The church and gospel teach us the principle of doing all you can do and relying on faith to fill in for our gaps, at least thats what I thought. I have come to realize the importance of remaining calm and trusting as you do WITH faith. Tuesday we had a beautiful Zone Conference. I love President Pitt. He really helped me personally and did an unbelievable in depth explanation of the Atonement. I know he was called of God.
 
Wednesday we went out with a member to see all the single sisters we have had to teach on the porch or just tracted into. It went great. This one girl Brittney we gave a book of mormon to, answered the door and came out. She said she was feeding her baby and asked if we could get her phone number and come back. She also said, "I have been reading that book you gave me, and I answered all your questions." I was stunned, surprised and overwhelmed with Joy. The member looks her and says, "Looks like you just made Elder Dumke's day!" I was so on Cloud 9, as we went back to the car and strayed off and tried getting in the wrong car. They busted up laughing, I did too. We then went to Janelle, who tracted into a few weeks ago. She was glad we brought a member with us, because she wanted us to come in and teach. We talked with her for a while and found out her husband had actually thrown out her Book of Mormon, yet she was determined to learn. We don't want to get in the middle of a marriage, but she wants the gospel in her and her daughters life. She was supposed to come to church this week; but if I were betting man I would say her husband prevented her from doing so. She is sweet though.
 
Thursday we taught Greg Fink. He nearly cancelled on us because he said he lit a fire in his wood stove and he couldn't leave his house with the fire going. Yeah right am I going to let the flames of Satan keep us from meeting with him. We picked up some chairs from the church and taught Greg with a Less active member we reactivated a few months ago outside. We taught outdoors because Greg picked up a stray pit bull from dog fights and we couldn't go inside with it. It went really well with him. We also taught Racha and Samia the plan of Salvation in a members home. It was a lot to cover in a short amount of time, but they enjoyed it and came to church again this week.
 
Friday we stopped by to see Mike because he wasn't returning our calls and he always does. We went to go see him he answered the door and his wife began yelling, "Mike! NO! NO! You can't it isn't good. Mike No!" She obviously knew it was us and it wasn't just about as apparent that she had been deleting our messages. He welcomed us in for about 20 seconds, but we showed ourselves out to avoid any spousal disputation. All I can say is Tori, Don't get married, It will limit your spiritual progression....
 

Because it was Elder Maxwell's birthday this week I kept a few things from him. We have any meals planned for Fri or Saturday. I secretly called up his favorite families and we ate well at Ichiban (like Bansai) and Abuelos. Seriously spoiled this weekend. It was a really good ending to a sweet week.

We were able to reach all but 1 of our goals. We finished the lessons with one investigator and we are just waiting for approval from the bishop for her to get baptized. Kind of a messy situation, but we are really excited for her.
 
It was a great week. I am grateful to be in Cave Spring and I couldn't ask for a better companion. Love you! and Merry Merry Christmas!
 
Elder Dumke
 
Hope you got a chance to watch the Christmas Devotional! It was awesome!

Post Thanksgiving

Happy Monday one and all 11/28/11
 
We are now officially on the path to Christmas. I cannot  believe how quickly everyone got there lights up out here. Last night we even helped some people put some up. In suit pants and all we hopped up on the roof and helped a less active family put their lights up. They claimed it to be a Christmas miracle. Just when they felt it wasn't worth it to put up the lights and it was causing more contention than creating Christmas Spirit, we showed up. It was a lot of fun to be able to help them pull the ox out of the mire ;).
 
Thanksgiving was a blast throughout the week we got invited to more Thanksgivings and ended up having 4 turkey dinners! Between Elder Maxwell and I we gained exactly 12 pounds in one day! Unfortunately I have already lost my share. My favorite was at the Nervo's home. They aren't in our ward but her daughter and son in law the Vanderhoevens are one of my favorite families and they invited us over. Their son Oliver Thompson is actually serving in the Ogden, Utah mission. Funny how we just switched missions like that.
 
Teaching was a little bit slow this week with all the Holiday festivities and majority of the people leaving town. We had an awesome lesson with Mike Holland. A member at church asked us to go out with this week if we had lessons. That hardly happens. Turns out we were teaching Mike the night he could come out. Also turns out that they have a very good mutual friend. That friend actually took Mike to church once back in high school. The lesson went well and we explained the restoration. He said he was going hunting friday morn and he would take the Book of Mormon with him to read and pray. He said there is a connection you get with God in nature, especially in the woods. We hadn't talked to him about the sacred grove or anything yet! It was perfect and we said to be sure to watch the restoration DVD before going out. He agreed.
 
Wayne was a bit frustrating this week. He wasn't able to meet because of Thanksgiving, but we talked to him on the phone throughout the week. We literally talked to him an hour before church, and he said 'Elder I am shaved, I am clean there ain't no reason I won't be able to go. 9 am cottonhill.' Well he didn't come, in fact no one came. It was the first time in months we haven't had a visitor with us.We have a good week planned and are looking forward. This saturday is Elder Maxwell's birthday. Turning 21. Sure love ya!
 
Elder Dumke